WANTED, Strip Tripper gasser Willies pickup pictures or info??

Hey guys, this year at the CHRR we just got done with our run, and I was crusing around on my orange krate and went over and drooled all over the original willies gasser truck named "Strip Tripper." This thing was insane, and was one of the best looking and wildest gasser trucks I have seen. The paint was beyond belief, and was still in perfect shape from the early 60's when it was raced up in Canada. I didn't have my camera, but the owner and his buddy were cool as hell to talk to. Does anyone have any current pics of it, info, or contact info of the owner?? If so, please let me know, so post away. Here are the ones I have so far..

 

I guess no one else has any other pics or info?? Damn, I wish I would have had my camera that day...anyone, anyone??

 

You mention "the owner and his buddy were...". Didn't you get contact info from him at that time?


I can't give you much info on the recent history but, I can give you everything you want regarding its birth and past history.

 

The owner was on the phone, but his good friend chatted with me for a while which was cool. Too much nitro filled my head, so I didn't get his info either, oh well. Do you have some old pics of this thing? Man, it sure had/has one hell of a stance!

 

bitchin' pickup

 

In 1968 two guys that I knew took me to see a pile of parts that were in a corner of a little gas station body shop in south Seattle. They had the eng/trans and wanted to go racing. There was this promoter(Tom Bigford); that had talked various people and businesses into donating parts/labor to a Willys gasser p/up project. The reasoning behind this was to become famous as they were profiled as the next donor/contributor to this willys gasser as it progressed from one shop/donor to another. A local hot rod/drag race magazine was doing the project as a series in the magazine. The project had fallen on hard times and the promoter wanted to unload it.

Everything was there except the drive train. If I remember correctly the Olds rear end was there as well as the wheelie bars and these two items were chromed. There was a really cool set of headers that came with it. They had mega phones on the end of each pipe and they were also chromed. You can see them on my avatar pic. There was a cool set of set back motor mounts (sbc) that were NHRA legal (20 %). They were made in such a way as to locate the eng. In the correct (20%) position but, actually mount to the frame a ways back on the frame. These were also chromed. The cab had been taken to Wilson Custom (Ray Wilson) and had a real nice chop that was finished in primer. The stock length box was with it as well as the rear fenders and running boards. The rear bumper was there with the brackets and I think I sent them out to be chromed with the tail gate hinges.

I've got a lot of pics on a disc. I need my son to help me load it. Hang on.

 

JJ, Get off the DAMN HAMB and get back to work on the shoebox before you really need those heaters we talked about. REMEMBER!!! This guy should have taken his camera! Now I have to go stir some more 1-Shot.

 

I traded this really nice '55 chev p/up for this pile of parts. I've shortened the box in the assembled pic.

 

On the way.

 

First time out at Puyallup Raceway.

 

Those little PUs wer so neat as Gassers .Tom (Tired Old Man)

 

So cool! Thanks for the build pics. That is a bitchin' little truck!

 

When we first had it together and took it over to have it weighed it was like 1800 lbs. Without putting any weight in it we would be running B/gas which we didn't want to do. We built a box out out of sheet (1/4") steel for a BIG bus battery and put it in the box. R side,rear. That was not enough so we filled the rear frame rails with molten lead (wheel weights). That got us where we needed to be (about 2200 lbs). It sure made wheel stands easy.

 

I don't have any info to add...I saw the truck at the CHRR and snapped a couple of pictures of it.

 

Like this.

 

S.i.r.

 

Thank you so much for the history and pics of this historical gasser, that is great to see that the history still lives on. That paint job is beyond wild still to this day, and that must have cost a fortune back then too! You said that the truck was chopped and in primer from Wilson Custom, was he the one that did the finish paint and graphics on it? Thanks for all of the history, this truck is one of my all time favorites!!!

 

The "pile of parts " were put together and painted at my shop, Exhibition Automotive in Kent Wa. in 1969.

There are some amazing pics of the truck on here showing the original paint. I will do a "how it was done" post soon. I also have some "action" (dukin' it out)shots.

 

Jivin Jer, thanks for sharing those photos and stories. I've always been a big fan of that Willys. Always loved the paint. The lace, panel graphics, and striping are just awesome. It's so cool this thing is still preserved so well.

Here's some shots I've snagged off the web.

 

S.i.r., larry Hoernlein (driver).

 

I think it belongs to a guy named Paul Soliz. He has some bad ass gassers!

 

Great car and I'm crazy about the "Strip Tripper" name!

 

These two pics were taken at the old Mission raceway. The current track is about 1/2 a mile southwest of the old location.

 

i just saw it at the world finals, really cool truck

 

Seattle auto show. Set up with a fake blower assy.

 

Very Cool Truck and glad I was able to see in person at the CHHR. The paint is incredible to see. How one could ever imagine such an intricate lace, fade, and psychedelic scheme is amazing. I've heard a story that Jerry Damen was the original painter and later leased the sponsors on the doors and that was why it had different stuff on the doors. Also heard that the paint job was so expensive it cost the owner the truck...maybe you can share more on the truths to this stuff. Anyway very bitchin'.

 

I'm going to have to get some more pics scanned and reply to this last post.

 

Anyone know the tire size and wheel size combo on the strip Tripper in its current form.

I am guessing 15x4 fronts and 15x7 rears Cragar SS?

 

Yes, the current owner is a buddy of mine name Paul Soliz out of El Monte, CA. Paul also has a 50 Plymouth Gasser called "High & Mighty" powered by a BBC. Watch for this Willys at the GNRS in January in Pomona, probably in the Suede Palace.